A young couple named Sierra and Jayden were taking a drive on I-491 through the Utah desert when they spotted a solitary dog running loose, barely dodging traffic.

As animal lovers, they knew they couldn’t leave the pup out there to fend for herself. They managed to get close enough to see that she was a young, lanky puppy who seemed like she already had a home.

Yet when Jayden and Sierra managed to track down her owners, they said they no longer wanted her around. The couple was heartbroken and would have adopted her on the spot, but their apartment doesn’t allow dogs. So instead, they called up their friend and fellow animal lover, Brianna Madia, who agreed to take “Birdie” in temporarily.

Brianna lives a nomadic lifestyle, spending months at a time living in her van with her two dogs, Bucket and Dagwood. Both of her canine besties are close to 10 years old, so she was worried about their reaction to a youthful new pack member. But as soon as the three dogs met, her fears were set to rest. It was an instant love connection.

Even though the situation was meant to be temporary, Brianna knew right away that she was in danger of adding another dog to her pack.

“I put her in the car and started driving back to our place, and she just sort of rested her little head on my shoulder and I was just like, ‘Oh no,’” she said with a laugh.

Birdie was very shy when she first arrived, but her canine big brother and sister quickly showed her the ropes. She learned how much fun it can be to run through snowy fields, go swimming, and frolic with her new friends, and she came out of her shell in a big way.

“We had this very timid dog, and then it was like we woke up one morning and had this court jester,” Brianna said.

These days, Birdie literally bounces when she’s excited or happy, two emotions she feels a lot. As if that wasn’t enough, the joyful energy the pup has brought into her older siblings’ lives made Brianna fall head over heels for her.

“After a couple of weeks I actually felt guilty taking her away from Bucket and Dagwood,” the dog mom explained. “She just brought this breath of fresh air into the pack. I knew I was going to keep her.

Birdie is now officially a member of Brianna’s pack, and they couldn’t be happier about it! What a lucky dog to have stumbled into the perfect family. We’re so glad Jayden and Sierra decided to stop and help her that day.